TWELFTH REGIMENT.
1. J. M. B. Hunt, Captain, Co. B, 12th Regt. 4. Chas. Wm. Raney, Private, Co. B, 12th Regt.

2. Milton Blalock, 1st Sergt., Co. D, 12th Regt. 5. Thomas D. Royster, Private, Co. D, 12th Regt.

3. George Hall Raney, Private, Co. B, 12th 6. Richard A. Lloyd, Private, Co. B, 12th Regt.
Regt. 7. Samuel J. Currin, Private, Co. B, 12th Regt.

APPOMATTOX AND THE RetTuRN Homer. 265

been touched, and we had not yet opened our lips. It soon
became apparent that there was no system, or plan about the
march of the troops homeward.

Somehow or other it became understood that General
Grimes would conduct the North Carolinians on their way;
anyhow a considerable number of them were under his direc-
tions and he ordered the march toward Campbell Court
House, with the intention to go from there to Danville. For
two or three miles everything passed off smoothly. When,
however, we came to a point where there was a divergent road
leading in a more southerly direction, Private Thomas Roys-
ter, from Granville County, saluted the General and said,
“General, you are a good officer and you know the road to take
a good many of these boys to their homes, but I live lower
down the Roanoke than Danville and it seems to me all who
want to go to counties east of Granville should take this road ;
anyhow I am going to try it and all who want to follow me
can come on.’’ Royster was a splendid soldier, considerably
over six feet tall, symmetrical in form, with one of the best
and kindest faces I ever saw and an eye intelligent and most
expressive. A considerable number followed him. Amongst
the number T. B. Watson, Austin Allen, R. H. Gilliland, Jas.
M. Bobbitt, P. A. Bobbitt, J. H. Duke, Robert C. Montgom-

ery, my brother, and myself. We soon formed a party, for the
men as if by instinct, broke up into small squads, and we con-

tinued together until we seven reached our homes in Warren
County. We started off with a small quantity of bread and
coffee, but with no meat; but on our way, with one exception,
we met with kindness and consideration from the residents.
We never saw Royster after ten minutes from the time we
left the main column, for he with his strong body and long
legs, had soon distanced us. Nor did we have any conversa-
tion with any other soldier on our journey except a young
man whom we found in a barn on a bed of straw on a plan-
tation, near Rough Creek Church, our first night’s camping
ground. At that home there were only a mother and daugh-
ter, the male members of the household being in their places
in the army. At dark we walked up to the house and in-
formed them of our condition and our desire to be allowed to